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PLAN OF PROCEDURE FOR MARK TWAIN ZEPHYR CHRISTENING
Messrs. J. H. Finn, A. C. Kelly, H. F. McLaury and Paul Anderson
met informally with several members of the Centennial Committee at the
Hannibal Chamber of Commerce offices on Friday morning, September 13, and
had a preliminary discussion of the forthcoming affairs.
The same afternoon there was another meeting with the complete
Centennial Committee, and that evening there was a third meeting with the
following attendants:
V. E. Cunningham, President, Hannibal Chamber of Commerce
Morris Anderson, General Chairman, Centennial Committee
George Mahan, President, Missouri Historical Society
Frank T. Russell, Secretary, Hannibal Chamber of Commerce
Ralph Budd, President, Burlington Railroad
E. Flynn, Executive Vice President
A. Cotsworth, Jr. Passenger Traffic Manager
F. E. Haines, Superintendent
W. J. Lahr, General Freight Agent
Paul Anderson, Division Freight & Passenger Agent
J. H. Finn, Publicity Representative
A. C. Kelly, Publicity Representative
H. F. McLaury, Advertising Agent
It was pointed out that the Mark Twain Zephyr will be in the rail-
road's hands on or approximately October 15, and allowing an interval for
"breaking in" on a trip to Denver which is also related to the Republican
Valley Jubilee, it was concluded that the date of the Hannibal Ceremony
will be Friday, October 25, 1935, with the Zephyr reaching Hannibal, pro-
bably from Kansas City, between 10 and 11:30 AM that day to remain there until
sometime after 4 PM.
All concerned felt that the following procedure will be desirable:
(1) The Hannibal Committee will request Governor Park of Missouri to
participate in the christening and also to invite Governor Horner
of Illinois and Governor Herring of Iowa, to join with him in
Hannibal for this occasion. The Hannibal Chamber of Commerce or
the Mark Twain Centennial Committee or both also will extend an
invitation to GovernorsHorner and Herring, either independently
or jointly with Governor Park. It was agreed the best course
would be for the railroad not to join in this official invitation
to the Governors, but that Mr. Budd will use his good offices in
persuading them to be there (Mr. Budd already has mentioned the
subject to Governor Horner).
It is calculated that the appearance of these three governors will
be the most important factor in bringing about the hoped-for chain
broadcast of the affairs of the moment.
The official invitations to the governors should be extended at the
earliest possible moment in order to avoid, as far as possible, the
contingency of prior engagements.
(2) The suggestion was made and adopted that the most important towns
and cities immediately on the route of the Mark Twain Zephyr be
invited to nominate a group of three school children "re-creating"
the three principal Mark Twain characters, Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn,
and Becky Thatcher, and enter them in a competition in conjunction
with the train's christening on October 25. The towns suggested
were St. Louis, Louisiana, Hannibal, Quincy, Keokuk, Fort Madison,
Burlington end perhaps Elsberry and Clarksville. The children
collectively would constitute rathera"court of honor" around Miss
Nina Gabrilowitsch who is Mark Twain's granddaughter and will be
the train's official sponsor. The plan would be for each team to
be dressed appropriately and according to their best concept of the
"natural" apparel of the three characters. All entries would be
judged at a suitable time on that day; one team declared the winner,
and a worthwhile award made. The Mark Twain Centennial Committee
will appoint the Judges who will select the winners. The railroad
will be accountable for their round trip railroad transportation
from home to Hannibal.

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PLAN OF PROCEDURE FOR MARK TWAIN ZEPHYR CHRISTENING
Messrs. J. H. Finn, A. C. Kelly, H. F. McLaury and Paul Anderson
met informally with several members of the Centennial Committee at the
Hannibal Chamber of Commerce offices on Friday morning, September 13, and
had a preliminary discussion of the forthcoming affairs.
The same afternoon there was another meeting with the complete
Centennial Committee, and that evening there was a third meeting with the
following attendants:
V. E. Cunningham, President, Hannibal Chamber of Commerce
Morris Anderson, General Chairman, Centennial Committee
George Mahan, President, Missouri Historical Society
Frank T. Russell, Secretary, Hannibal Chamber of Commerce
Ralph Budd, President, Burlington Railroad
E. Flynn, Executive Vice President
A. Cotsworth, Jr. Passenger Traffic Manager
F. E. Haines, Superintendent
W. J. Lahr, General Freight Agent
Paul Anderson, Division Freight & Passenger Agent
J. H. Finn, Publicity Representative
A. C. Kelly, Publicity Representative
H. F. McLaury, Advertising Agent
It was pointed out that the Mark Twain Zephyr will be in the rail-
road's hands on or approximately October 15, and allowing an interval for
"breaking in" on a trip to Denver which is also related to the Republican
Valley Jubilee, it was concluded that the date of the Hannibal Ceremony
will be Friday, October 25, 1935, with the Zephyr reaching Hannibal, pro-
bably from Kansas City, between 10 and 11:30 AM that day to remain there until
sometime after 4 PM.
All concerned felt that the following procedure will be desirable:
(1) The Hannibal Committee will request Governor Park of Missouri to
participate in the christening and also to invite Governor Horner
of Illinois and Governor Herring of Iowa, to join with him in
Hannibal for this occasion. The Hannibal Chamber of Commerce or
the Mark Twain Centennial Committee or both also will extend an
invitation to GovernorsHorner and Herring, either independently
or jointly with Governor Park. It was agreed the best course
would be for the railroad not to join in this official invitation
to the Governors, but that Mr. Budd will use his good offices in
persuading them to be there (Mr. Budd already has mentioned the
subject to Governor Horner).
It is calculated that the appearance of these three governors will
be the most important factor in bringing about the hoped-for chain
broadcast of the affairs of the moment.
The official invitations to the governors should be extended at the
earliest possible moment in order to avoid, as far as possible, the
contingency of prior engagements.
(2) The suggestion was made and adopted that the most important towns
and cities immediately on the route of the Mark Twain Zephyr be
invited to nominate a group of three school children "re-creating"
the three principal Mark Twain characters, Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn,
and Becky Thatcher, and enter them in a competition in conjunction
with the train's christening on October 25. The towns suggested
were St. Louis, Louisiana, Hannibal, Quincy, Keokuk, Fort Madison,
Burlington end perhaps Elsberry and Clarksville. The children
collectively would constitute rathera"court of honor" around Miss
Nina Gabrilowitsch who is Mark Twain's granddaughter and will be
the train's official sponsor. The plan would be for each team to
be dressed appropriately and according to their best concept of the
"natural" apparel of the three characters. All entries would be
judged at a suitable time on that day; one team declared the winner,
and a worthwhile award made. The Mark Twain Centennial Committee
will appoint the Judges who will select the winners. The railroad
will be accountable for their round trip railroad transportation
from home to Hannibal.